Boot or shoe stretcher



(No Model.)

W. JONES.

BOOT'OB. SHOE STRETGHBR. No. 352,134.` Patented NOV. 9, A1886.

WITNESSES JJv VrJvToR @f N4 Firms. mmm-ummm wmhmgum ma UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILEY JONES, OE NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

BOOT OR SHOE STRETCH-naa.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,134, dated November 9, 1886. Aplicatlon led March 18, 1885. :Renewed Mayl, 1886. Serial No. 2052.589. (No model.)

T @ZZ wwm t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILEY J oNEs, acitizen Y ofthe United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot or Shoe Stretcheis, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has general reference to boot and shoe stretchers, audits object is the production of an implement capable of stretching a boot or shoe across the balls, at the instep,and

^ in length, all by means of one lastand one main operatingscrew in a manner hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention more fully, and form a partof this specification, Figure lis a side View of thelast as used in stretching the shoe across the balls. Fig. 2 is a View of the bottom ofthe last. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section. Fig. et is a horizontal section on the line x w of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the stretcher as used for the instep. Fig. 6 shows the act of stretching the shoe lengthwise. Fig. 7 shows the swivel-nut P. FigfS is the heel-brace. Fig. 9 is the bottom plate,

' Fig. 10, the clamping-cap. f

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

The last consists of twoside pieces,A A, made preferably'of iron, and a bottom plate, D. The side pieces are'bconnected by a hinge, N, at the heel, and the bottom plate is connectedA to one of the pieces, near` the toe, by a pin running through the arms O O, and fastened into the side piece, onev end of the pin extending far-enough beyond one of the arms to work detachably in the opposite side piece. In each of the side pieces is agroove, E, deepest at the widestpart ofthe last andshallowing outtoward the toe,as seen in Fig. 4. In this groove is a sub-groove, F, along which runs one of the wheels J J. At

` theheel ofthe last, in each side, are the orifices B B, in which :the arms of the screw-threaded nut P bear detachably.

To stretch the shoe across the balls,I turn the screw C with the arms of the nut P bearing in theloweroriccB of each side of the/last. This forces the wheels J and J along the sub-grooves 5c F and F, which motion expands the two side pieces, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

To stretch the instep, I'detach the screw C from the large nutH by unscrewing the toepusher I. Then I rest the screw-threaded 'swivel-nut G, which is attached to the end of C, in the cavity L of the bottom plate, and the arms of nut P in the upper orifice B of each side piece, and turn the screw C, thereby forcing the side pieces, A A, with their clampingcap K, upward, as shown in Fig. 5. This cap is only 6o used while the instep is being stretched, and gives the desired curve to the top of the last, and also holds the side pieces together by means of two headed pegs that project from its under surface and gear each into a slotted aperture, S, in each side piece of thelast. The apertures T in this cap are similar to those in the sideof the last, and are intended for the usual bunioncaps. ,f

vTo stretch the shoe in length, I detach the 7o screw G from the last and screw the toe-pusher I into the screw-threaded swivel-nut G, and screw the heelbrace B upon the arm Q of the nut P. Then, .on turning the screw C, theheelbrace is pressed against the counter, and the toe-pusher by a reciprocal motion is forced against the upper leather of the toe, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. This toe-pusher,while partly` resembling the common andold bullion-caps, differs from them in that the pin is muchlonger 8o and contains a screw-thread which holdsthe pusher in position better than asmooth pin can; also, in that it is a compound instrument, beg ing used not only as a toe-pusher, but also to hold together the nuts H and G while the shoe is being stretched wider. Having thus'described my invention, what I I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in a boot or shoe 9oV stretcher having the screw C and hinge N, of a pronged nut, P, moved along the said screw, and a swivel-nut, G, secured to the end of said screw, asand for the purposes described and set forth. l

, 2. The combination, in 'a boot or shoe stretcher having the screw C and hinge N, of wheels J J and a nut, H, carrying the said wheels, as and for the purposes set forth and described.

3. Ina boot or shoe stretcher, the parts A A, provided with the grooves E and subgrooves F,forming a trackfor wheels J J, substantially as set forth.

IOC

4. The combination, in a boot or shoe stretcher having the screw C and hinge N, of side pieces, A A, provided with the lower oriices B, through which orifices oscillate the smooth prongs of nut P, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, in a boot or shoe stretcher having the screw C and hinge Nvith the side pieces, of abottoin plate, D, provided with a cavity, L, and attached to one of the side pieces, all as shown and described.

G. The combination7 in a boot or shoe stretcher having the screw C and hinge N, of the side pieces with an arm or arms, O, for securing the bottom plate to one of the side pieces, as and for the purposes described.

7. The combination, in a boot or shoe stretcher having the screw C and hinge N,with the parts A A, provided with upper orifices B,

of nut l), and aperture M, in which oscillate the screw C, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. The combination, in aboot or shoe stretcherhaving the screw G,of a screwthreaded toe-pusher, I, and a heel-brace, R,saidbrace Working detachably on the nut l) by means of a screwarm, Q, projected from the body of said nut, as and for the purposes described.

9. The combination, in a boot or shoe stretcher having the hinge N and screw C, of the parts A A, provided with the elongated slots S S, with the cap K, provided with the pins U U, substantially as shown and described.

VILEY JOKES.

Witnesses:

RICHARD HENRY BAKER, J r., Wnsrwoon Ami's'rnan TODD. 

